Lewandowski vs. Werner: the comparison

Lewandowski has nigh on perfected the art of goalscoring, showing dumbfounding ability to hit the target from any range and any angle, and at an extraordinary rate of consistency.

Werner's own eye for goal has become so sharp, the 23-year-old Germany international is already one strike short of equalling his personal best for an entire season, and just two behind the Pole he will be aiming to axe as Leipzig go toe-to-toe with Bayern.

Lewandowski has equalled Gerd Müller's league record of 22 goals from 20 matchdays, while Werner is the first German since Der Bomber to reach 20 at this stage. Together, they've netted 42 goals in 2019/20, making this the first time in Bundesliga history that the top two scorers have over 40 between them after 20 matchdays.

So how do the two sharpshooters compare? bundesliga.com has run the microscope over both to evaluate their sublime strengths.

Pace

Lewandowski: Who says footballers slow with age? Lewandowski has reaped the rewards of his own discipline and attention to detail in every form of his training and nutrition to ensure his speed has not deteriorated. Like Cristiano Ronaldo, who was this year clocked as the quickest player in Italy at the age of 34, Lewandowski - three years the Portuguese's junior - is not one to be caught lagging behind, with a top speed of 21 miles per hour ensuring that only Alphonso Davies and Kingsley Coman are faster in a Bayern shirt.

Werner: Turbo Timo would leave Lewandowski in his tracks, however. In 2018/19, he ranked in the top 10 for the fastest players in the Bundesliga, clocking a speed trap-busting 21.77 mph on one of his many bursts forward. Werner is not just fast in reaching the ball, though. His blistering pace on the ball is one of his most lethal weapons, and one of the main reasons why he has scored 70 goals in 113 Bundesliga outings for Leipzig. It's an asset Julian Nagelsmann has looked to utilise in different ways than previous coaches at the Red Bull Arena, often moving Werner into wider positions and no longer on the shoulder of the last defender. It allows him an even greater head-start on opponents.

Finishing

Lewandowski: When Bayern are on the attack, Lewandowski's exceptional positioning and spatial awareness mean that he is often perfectly placed to sweep the ball home. That is only half of the job, however, and the most important part is what the Pole excels at: providing the finish. Lewandowski is comfortable shooting with either foot and he also has great aerial presence, which is why he rarely requires the extra touches that some forwards need to get the ball into a better shooting position – for Lewangoalski, any position will do. Such goalscoring brings about countless comparisons with Bayern legend Gerd Müller, who netted every 105 minutes in the Bundesliga. Lewandowksi's return over his career is a goal every 110 minutes. In Bayern colours, though, that drops to an astonishing 99 minutes. He has also scored multiple goals in a league game 58 times (49 braces, eight hat-tricks and one jaw-dropping five-goal haul). That, too, is second only to Müller (87 times).

Werner: One way of gauging a forward's finishing ability is the Expected Goals (xG) method, and this works in Werner's favour. He showed the world his clinical best early in the season in Leipzig's 3-1 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach, bagging a hat-trick from an xG of just 0.67. In layman terms, that basically means Werner was being extremely efficient in putting away his chances. He repeated the feat on Matchday 10 with the record 8-0 thrashing of Mainz. From just five shots he became the only player to net two hat-tricks this season. Find the back of the net every 4.2 attempts is a remarkable return, and even slightly better than Lewandowski (4.27).

Watch: A closer look at how Werner is scoring so many goals

Strength

Lewandowski: One of Lewandowski's early coaches in Poland expressed concern about his delicate frame and stick-thin legs, which shows just how far he has come in terms of his physique. During his Borussia Dortmund days, he was given the nickname 'The Body', having spent countless hours in the gym to improve his strength and gain an advantage out on the pitch. Lewandowski's dedication to his fitness and wellbeing means that he has never suffered a serious injury, and has only missed 16 Bundesliga matches in over nine seasons.

Werner: Although just under an inch shorter than the Pole, Werner almost matches him in body mass, weighing in just seven pounds lighter. His upper-body strength allows him to hold off his marker and the rest of his strength comes from up top - in his head. Mentally tough and robust, Werner does not know the meaning of a lost cause and the worst thing a defender can do when Werner's around is believe they are in control of the situation, since the Leipzig goal-getter is invariably eyeing his opportunity and preparing to muscle in to create - and take - another chance.

Watch: Lewandowski's finest skills this season

Teamwork

Lewandowski: The striker is just as capable of joining in Bayern's slick build-up play, but he's best suited at the top end of the pitch. One of their many weapons is the long ball over the top. Rather than standing on the last defender, though, a feature of Lewandowski's game is his ability to burst from deep and time his run to avoid the offside trap. A superb reader of the game and so aware of his surroundings, this, allied with his precise movement, provide the perfect platform from which Lewandowski wreaks havoc. He picks his moments superbly when he notices a teammate is ready to find him with a pass, and it certainly helps Bayern's wingers and midfielders to know that delivery into the danger area is almost inevitably going to be gobbled up by Lewandowski.

Werner: Werner's role in the Leipzig team differs somewhat from Lewandowski's at Bayern, albeit with the same end product: goals. He doesn't necessarily drop deep but rather out wide to receive the ball. The 23-year-old already wears the No.11 jersey - a shirt number typically given to wingers - rather than the No.9 shirt for centre-forwards. Very few players are able to marry running at opposition defenders with the ball with an end product - be it a short pass, cross or direct goal. Yet it's exactly the sort of play that has propelled Werner into the limelight. Why risk him being suffocated in the centre of the park when he could be having his wicked way down the wing? The key thing is, Leipzig know where to find him, and he demonstrated his all-round game perfectly in the win over Mainz with a hat-trick of goals and assists.

Watch: Werner's hat-trick of goals and assists against Mainz

Conclusion: In a nutshell, Lewandowski is the complete striker, combining with his attacking midfielders, holding up play, taking on defenders, latching onto balls over the top, playing on the ground or in the air and, most importantly, scoring goals of all shapes and sizes. While boasting different characteristics, such as lightning pace, dribbling skills, versatility and a clinical touch in front of goal, Werner is the best of his playing style in the Bundesliga, and possibly Europe.

The one certainty, however, is that they're going to provide drama until the very end in both the race for the title and the Torjägerkanone. At their current rate they'll end up on 37 and 34 goals respectively. With a combined total of 71, it would smash the record for the two highest scorers in a Bundesliga season, set by Müller (36) and Jupp Heynckes (28) in 1972/73.